Police Review Video In Which Officer Pulls Taser In Confrontation With High School Student

Police are reviewing a video in which an officer pulls a Taser and asks a high school student, "You want to ride the lightning?" (Credit: Alex Vitale, via YouTube)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A controversial new video involving NYPD officers was under review Sunday.

As WCBS 880’s Myles Miller reported, the video was captured on March 16 by CUNY Professor Alex Vitale. In it, two officers are seen trying to get students to leave the area around Midwood High School.

One of the students starts talking back to the officers and picks up a handful of snow as if to toss it at them. At that point, one of the officers pulls out his Taser and asks, “You want to ride the lightning?”

It is what the officer said before the students walked off that drew alarm from Vitale. He called the incident an abuse of power.

NYPD guidelines state that Tasers generally should not be used on children.

Police told CBS2 the officer who pulled the Taser never pointed it at anyone.